Retail stocks keep a slow, steady pace

NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- There was no energy in either direction Wednesday for retail stocks, which clung close to their opening positions Wednesday when the overall market cratered as developments unfolded in the Mideast.

There was barely any movement among the retail sector's most widely traded stocks, leaving at least two key measures fairly flat. The S&P Retail Index sat at 334.77 -- a tad lower than where it opened. Meanwhile, the Merrill Lynch Retail Holdrs
RTH, -1.48%
stood still at 91.74.

Bankrupt Kmart
KM
was able to turn a huge percentage decline into a notable gain. Of course, the amount of money changing hands wasn't much. Shares ended the session at 87 cents, up 1 cent. The discounter said Wednesday that it was scrapping the BlueLight.com name in favor of Kmart.com -- a preference of its customers, the company explained.

Home Depot
HD, -1.04%
another Dow component, eased off earlier highs to end the day up 5 cents to $37.65.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
MSO, +0.00%
had a reprieve from its downward trajectory, moving ahead better than 14 percent, or $2.05, to $16.45 after the company upped forecasts and founder Martha Stewart reiterated her innocence of insider trading of ImClone
IMCL, +6.11%
shares.

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